Wheel construction



April-6, 1948. s. HENDRICKSON WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed April 28, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet l JMUE 72/07: jrerme P 1948- s. HENDRICKSON 2,439,340

WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed April 28, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ScvergzeJfrzdricksorz Patented Apr. 6, V 1948 WHEEL CONSTRUCTION SeverineHendrickson, Templeton, Mass, assignor to Heywood-Wakefield Company,Gardner, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 28,1944, Serial No. 533,151

3 Claims. 1 I

The present invention relates to an improved Wheel construction and hasfor its object to provide a wheel that is particularly adapted for usein connection with relatively small vehicles, such as baby carriages,childrens wagons, and the like.

The wheel construction of the present invention is particularlycharacterized by the fact that the body of the wheel comprisescomplementary half-portions molded from heat plasticizable material,thereby reducing the use of metal in the wheel construction to aminimum, while providing a strong, light-weight wheel assembly offinished appearance. The improved wheel construction also provides alocking device for holding the wheel on a supporting axle, as well as anarrangement for securely mounting a molded one-piece tire in positionwhen the complementary wheel portions are assembled. The above and otheradvantageous features of the invention will hereinafter more fullyappear from the following description, considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of awheel embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views illustrating the appearance of thecomplementary wheel portions before their assembly, with the sectionsbeing taken along the line 3 I of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a View in side elevation of the wheel portion shown in Fig. 4,as viewed from the right.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, showingdetails of the wheel locking device, in cooperation with an associatedvehicle axle.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, illustrating a modification inthe wheel bearing structure.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the wheel is shown as consisting ofcomplementary half portions I and 2, with each half portion being formedseparately from suitable heat plasticizable material by means of aninjection molding rial hardens.

It is to be noted that each sleeve 4 provides a shoulder 5. so that thesleeve will be firmly locked in position by embedding of the shoulderWithin the surrounding plastic material when the mate- As best shown inFigs. 3, 4 and 5, each halfportion provides a recess ii surrounding thesleeve 4, for a purpose which will later appear, and each recess 6 is inturn surrounded by an annular face 7 extending beyond the end of thesleeve 4. Each half-portion is recessed beyond the face I, as indicatedat 8, and a number of ribs 9 extend radially of the recess 8 andterminate in lugs It having flat faces lying in the same plane as theannular face 1. The periphery of each halfportion provides a groove I Iand a surface I2 extending inwardly from the groove II is offset fromthe comon plane, in which lie the face "I and lugs It]. One side of eachgroove II is inclined with respect to the surface I2, so that when thehalf-portions I and 2 are assembled, as shown in Fig. 2, the two groovesII define between them a dove-tailed shaped space extending around theperiphery of the wheel.

As previously pointed out, the wheel construction contemplates anarrangement for conveniently mounting a tire in position and to this endthe wheel provides a tire I3, which is molded as a single piece fromrubber, or suitable synthetic material having the desired resilientproperties. The inside of the tire i 3 is formed with a projection I4which is dove-tailed in cross section so as to correspond to the shapeof the space between the opposed grooves II on the half-portions I and2. In order to mount the tire I3 on the wheel, it is only necessary tofit one side of the projection I linto the groove I I on onehalfportion, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, so that when the twohalf-portions are brought together with their faces I and lugs It inabutting relation, the tire I3 will be secured locked in position byreason of the interfitting relation between the grooves II and thedove-tailed tire projection I4. 7

When the half-portions I and 2 are assembled, as shown in Fig. 2, itwill be noted that the opposed ends of the inwardly projecting bearingsleeves 4 are spaced apart, the object of this spacing being to permitthe mounting of a looking device for securing the wheel on the axle ofan associated vehicle. In Figs.6 and 7 the construction of this lockingdevice is shown on an enlarged scale, with only the adjacent parts ofthehalf-portions being included.

3 As best shown in Fig. 7, the locking device consists of a housingdisposed between the ends of the bearing sleeves 4 and providing asemi-circular portion [6 closely fitting an inner sleeve ll extendingthrough the sleeves l that are provided by the half-portions l and 2.The inner sleeve I! fits closely around an axle N which is fixed to thebody of the associated vehicle, so that the sleeve l'l provides abearing on which the outside sleeves i rotate with the wheel assembly.The housing extends above the axle i8 and provides a U-shaped portioniii, in which a locking pin 20 is slidably mounted. The pin 20 providesa projection 2i and a spring 22 surrounding the pin between theprojection 2i and the top of the housing yieldingly urges the end of thepin in the direction of the axle l8.

The axle l8 provides a notch 23 for receiving the lower end of the pin29, sothat with the pin received in the notch 23 the wheel assembly willbe held against lateral movement on the axle. The upper end of the pin20 provides a head 2d which may be seized in order to raise the pin outof engagement with the axle notch 23. When the pin 20 is so raised, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7, the lower end of the pin will stillbe received within a slot 25 provided in a projection 26 formed on theinner sleeve i7 between the arms of the housing. With the retracted pinso engaged, turning of the pin housing on the sleeve i7 is prevented,and at the same time the sleeve H is held against end-wise movement withrespect to the outer sleeves 4.

In order to give access to the head 24 by means of which the pin 20 canbe operated, the wheel half-portion 2 provides an opening 21 leadinginto the recess 6-, within which the locking device is. located. It isevident from a consideration of Fig. that this opening 2? is ofsufficient size to permit the headZd to be reached by the fingers uponturning the wheel with respect to the fixed axle l8 until the opening 21is substantially opposite to the head.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the assembly of the wheel isillustrated. As previously described, the tire I3 is molded in one pieceand the first step of assembly consists in placing the tire in positonon the half-portion I, with its dove-tailed shaped projection M seatedin the groove H, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

Before assembling the other half-portion 2, the sleeve H, carrying thelocking pin assembly, is inserted within the sleeve 4 of thehalf-portion i. This step is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, andit'is evident that the wheel assembly can then be completed byregistering the sleeve 4 of the half-portion 2 with the sleeve l1 andbringing the half-portions together with their annular faces i and thelugs in engagement, as shown in Fig. 2. This final act of assemblycompletes locking of the tire E3 in position, by reason of the inclusionof the dove-tailed shaped tire projection 54 between the opposed groovesI! on the wheel portions.

The assembled half-portions l and 2 may then be permanently joinedtogether by the application of a cement or suitable solvent to the facesI and lugs ill, or by the application of heat and pressure. For example,many thermoplastic materials will re-plasticize upon the application ofheat to form a secure bond under pressure, while materials of thecellulose acetate group can be joined together by the use of a naturalsolvent.

such as acetone. Obviously, the half-portions can also be joined byrivets extending transversely to the annular faces I, as indicated indotted lines in Fig. 6.

With the wheel assembly completed, it is obvious from a consideration ofFig. 6 that the wheel can be readily attached to the fixed axle [B of avehicle, such as a baby carriage or wagon. By turning the wheel untilthe opening 2'! is substantially opposite to the pin assembly, theoperating head 24 can be readily seized between the fingers and liftedto the dotted line position. The end of the axle l8 may then be insertedwithin the sleeve H and when the end of the axle is substantially flushwith the end of the sleeve l'l, release or the 'pin 28 will permit itslower end to be received in the locking notch 23 provided on the axleiii. Should it be desired to remove the wheel, the operating head 24 ofthe pin can be reached by turning the wheel on the axle until theopening 21 gives access to the head 24.

Referring now toFig. 8, there is shown a modification of the wheelbearing construction, wherein the half-portions la and 2a each provide abearing sleeve 28 that is adapted to receive a ball or roller bearingassembly 29, as indicated in dotted lines. It is to be noted that eachsleeve 28 provides a shoulder 28a adapted to be embedded in the materialof the half-portion, when the latter is molded. Each sleeve 28 alsoprovides a cylindrical portion SE! of reduced diameter,

which surrounds the axle and provides a shoulder,

against which the bearing 29 is positioned.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that by the present invention thereis provided an improved wheel construction, characterized by theprovision of two separately molded half-portions, the assembly of whichserves to look a one=piece tire in position. Furthermore, eachhalf-portion provides a bearing sleeve forming an integral sleeve,within said recesses, for securing the wheel on said axle. I r

2. A wheel construction comprising half portions assembled inc'omplemental relation to 'fcrm a complete wheel, with saidhalf-portions providin centrally located alined bearing sleevesextending into registering recesses provided by said portions, a thirdsleeve extending within said first-named sleeves for receiving asupporting axle, and a locking device mounted on said third sleevewithin said recesses for securing the'whe'el V on said axle, with one"of said half-portions prong as opening communicating with said ressesto give access to said locking device. 3. A wheel constructioncomprising complemental halt-portions of disk form, each formedseparately from nommetailre mciuatle material, with each haif=portiohhaving a metaine bearing sleeve income-rated therein at the timearm-cidin'g, said sleeve being of less length than the thickness or itslialf-pbrtioh, and with said hali- 5 portions providing fiat surfacelying in a common plane for face-to-fane engagement with each other whensaid half-portions are assembled to form a complete wheel, with saidbearing sleeves in axial alinement and spaced apart at their ends.

SEVERINE HENDRICKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 10 Number France May 14, 1907

